ISLAMABAD: Induction of staff will definitely improve the enforcement of Pakistan Customs laws all over the country, besides eliminating the smuggling and illegal trade causing loss to national kitty.
This was stated by Model Customs Collectorate’s Investigation and Prosecution (I&P) Assistant Collector Tahir Iqbal Khattak in an interview with Customs Today, adding that hiring of 60 to 70 sepoys at collectorate was underway. He further said that newly hired sepoys will be given physical training so they could also tackle any violent situation.
He said that I&P was showing exceptional performance, as up to 75 percent improvement has been recorded in anti-smuggling actions, adding that its department made over 40 seizure cases during a campaign started on February 17 to 29. He further said that foreign origin cloth, tea, alloy rims, tyres, cigarettes, auto parts, air conditioners, LED TVs and other non-duty paid items worth Rs 15.837 million were confiscated, adding that nine vehicles valued at Rs 6.8 million were also impounded, which were being used for the transportation of smuggled items.
And during January 2015, it made only 30 seizure cases and confiscated items worth Rs 6.19 million, besides impounding offender vehicles worth Rs 6.1 million, he said, adding that anti-smuggling, warehouse, open bidding and tribunal were included in his responsibilities.
He said that customs has stricken the checking of vehicles on roads, especially those entered into Pakistan through Peshawar, adding that he personally monitored the anti-smuggling operations on the roads. He said that a decrease has also been witnessed in smuggling and illegal trade through roads.
Special check posts at Chungi 26 and Motorway have been established in order to curb the smuggling, he said, adding that the staff of Customs Intelligence also performed its duties side by side at posts. The assistant collector said that headquarters has given Islamabad Customs more staff to perform the duties effectively.
Saying that the collectorarte will hold an auction in March, but auctions of seized items at large levels will be held in April, May and June, Khattak said that mostly people showed interest in purchasing vehicles; therefore, other items i.e. cosmetics and cloth were not given attention by the bidders.
“We are reviewing different suggestions to make the confiscated items other then vehicles attractive for the people,” he said, adding that a market survey was also being conducted to review the reserve prices. He said that advertisement will also be made at whole sale market to inform the public about the seized items.
There are many cases; including big cases are under-hearing in the tribunal, whereas the case of Ayyan Ali was in adjudication, which is in last stages, he said, adding that cooperation has been sought from different law enforcement agencies to eliminate the smuggling.
